Clamp for slicing machines



Oct. 16, 1934. w A, V N B RKEL 1,977,462

CLAMP FOR SLICING MACHINES Filed Jan. 29, 1930 Patented Oct. 16, 1934 UNITED STATES ranger CLAMP FOR, SLICING MACHINES tion of Indiana Application January 29, 1930, Serial No. 424,321

In Germany February 22, 1929 16 Claims. (01.146-217) At the present time it is customary in clamping substances on the supporting table of a. slicing machine to provide a single clamp for holding the substance thereon. Generally this clamp is arranged to clamp the forward end of the substance being sliced. For short substances such an arrangement has been fairly satisfactory but when clamping substances of considerable length such an arrangement of the clamping means is very unsatisfactory since it permits that end of the substance which is not clamped to move about on the support therefor. When the substance is permitted to move about on the support, irregular slices are apt to be cut from the substance due to the canting of the substance relative to the plane of the knife, the knife tending to cant the substances as it moves into the substance to cut a slice therefrom.

.One object of this invention therefore is to produce a clamping means which is simple and yet overcomes the disadvantages of previous types of clamping mechanisms.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a plurality of clamping devices for the substance being clamped. With this arrangement, the substance can be clamped at a plurality of points intermediate its ends to thereby more firrrly hold the substance on the support and prevent movement of the substance relatively to the support.

Another object of this invention is the provision of suitable clamping or gripping devices for substances of considerable length.

- A still further object of this invention is the provision of suitable pivoted clamping members which co-operate with a vertically disposed plate on the substance support for clamping the substance firmly on the support while permitting longitudinal movement thereof along said sup-- port.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter the novel features and combination being set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawing- Fig. 1 represents an end elevational view of a substance supporting table embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 represents a plan view of the devic shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the device illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, this view being a view looking from the left in Fig. l. v

Figs. 4 and 5 show modified arrangements for supporting one of the clamping members illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3; and

Fig. 6 illustrates a modified form for the clamping plate of the other of the clamping members illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive.

In the drawing I have only shown the supporting table for the substance being sliced, it being understood that the substance supporting table may be embodied in any type of a. slicing machine in which the slicing knife is moved relatively to the table in order to cut slices from the substance supported thereon. lfhe substance supporting table com-prises a base member 1 having brackets 2 extending upwardly along one side thereof, a plate 3 being secured thereto by any suitable means. Preferably the plate 3 is made of glass or other material which can easily be kept in a neat condition and which causes very little friction between the merchandise being. sliced and the plate. The plate 3 may be provided with ribs extending in the direction of movement of the substance being sliced if desired, these ribs acting as a means for guiding the substance in a fixed path as well as forming a means for reducingthe resistance of the plate to the movement of the substance thereover. The feed plate 4 having an upstanding portion 5, is adapted to slide longitudinally of the table 1 in a direction from left to right and right to left as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3.

A feed screw 6 is journaled in the bearings 7 arranged along one side of the table 1 and the feed plate 4 is provided with a nut 8 along one side thereof adapted to engage the threads on the feed screw 6. A ratchet wheel 9 is rigidly mounted on one. end of the feed screw, and is adapted to be actuated by means of a pawl (not shown) in a well known manner, the feed screw being given a step by step movement for imparting a similar movement to the feed. plate. This movement of the feed plate advances the substance towards the slicing knife 10 so that successive slices are cut from the substance as the table 1 is moved relatively to the knife. 1

The substance 11 is placed on the supporting surfaces of the table 1 and the feed plate 4 and abutting against the plate 3. At one corner of the feed plate 4 I provide an upstanding bracket 12 having the arm 13 pivoted thereto as at 14. This arm carries clamping plate 15 pivoted thereto at 16. A spring 17 is arranged within a suitable recess 18 in the bracket 12 and in a corresponding recess in the extension 19 of the arm 1.3. The spring tends to rotate the arm 13 in such a direction as to move the clamping plate 15 agains the substance 11. In other words the spring 17 is normally compressed. It will be noted from an inspection of Fig. 1 that the clamping plate 15 has a tendency to move the substance being sliced in a direction towards the supporting surface of the clamping plate and also against the vertical upstanding portion 5 thereof. 1 3

A second arm 20 pivoted at 21 to the t ablel carries a clamping plate 22 rotatable on the pivot 23 about an axis substantially parallel with the axis of the arm 20. A spring 24 having the opposite ends thereof arrangedwithina recess in the extension 25 on the table 1 and a recess on the extension 26 or" the arm 20 normally-tends to rotate the arm 20 in a clockwise direction about its pivot as viewed in Fig. 2. Theextension 25 also supports the latch 27 by means of the pin 28 and this latch is permitted to have a slight amount of movement in a direction towards and'away from the end of the extension 26 on the arm 20. The" latch 27 has a shoulder 29 thereon adapted to engage the outer surface of the extension 36 when the arm 20 is in the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2. By this arrangement the latch 27 will hold the arm and clamping plate in the dotted line or inoperative position.

When the latch is released, the clamping plate 22 comes into engagement with the side-of the substance to be sliced and forces the substance in a direction towards the plate 3. With a substance of considerable length the feed plate 4 is moved to'the extreme right hand position shown in Fig. 2, and the substance is placed thereon, the clamping plate 15 engaging the righthand portion of the substance. The plate 22 is brought into engagement with the side of the substance and adjacent the left end thereof thus providingsupport against lateral movement for substantially the entire substance and providing a clamping means which is sufficiently effective to hold the substance securely on the supporting table and feed plate as the slices are being out therefrom.

As successive slices are cut from the substance the feed plate moves towards the dotted line position shown therefor in Fig. 2. The clamping plate 22 is so arranged that when the clamping plate 15 comes into proximity therewith the forward' edge of the clamping plate 15 will engage the underside oi the clamping plate-22 move the clamping plate 22 away from the substance against the action'of the spring 24. While the clamping plate 22' is out of engagement with the substance itwill be noted that the clamping pressure of this clamping plate is exerted on the clamping plate 15, and therefore there is no loss of clamping pressure due to the'fact that the clamping plate 22 is movedout of engagement with the substance being sliced.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a modified arrangement for the clamping plate which is to be supported on the arm 20. This clamping plate 22' is pivoted to the arm 20 in the same manner as the plate 22 but has an extension as curved away from the substance being clamped thereon at the end thereof adjacent the clamping plate 15' so as to cause the plate 22 to ride over the plate 15 when they come into engagement with each other, to thus avoid the possibility of having the adjacent ends of the plates 15 and 22 abutting against each other and thereby injuring the operativeness oi the device, even though under normal conditions the'plate 22 will be caused to ride over the plate 15 when they come into engagement with each other.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a modified arrangement for supporting the clamping plate for the feed plate. This comprises arm 31 pivoted at 32 to an upstanding bracket 33 on the feed plate 34, the

latter corresponding to the feed plate 4 shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive. The arm 31 is in the form of a bell crank and the extension 35 of this bell crank has a member 3'? pivoted thereto at 38. A member .38 similanto the member 37v is'pivoted at 39'to the upstanding bracket 33;" Each of the members 37 and 38 carry pins 40 over which the opposite ends of the compression spring ll are arranged. The bell crank is also provided with a .lug 42 adapted to engage a stop 43 on the bracket 33. The pivot 35 is so arranged with respect to the pivots 32 "and v39 .as to lie on opposite sides of a linedrawn between the pivots 32 and 38 when.

is in its'dotted line position the pivot 38 is arranged to the left of the line between the pivots 32 and 39 and therefore urges the arm 31 in a clockwise direction and against the stop 43. Thus the arm 31 is held in inoperative position. When the arm' 31' is in the full line position-the pivot3'6 is' on the right of the line through the pivots 32 and 39 and therefore forces the arrnfll in a counter-clockwise direction about its pivot 32, the lug 42 coming into engagement with the pin l3 to limit the counter-clockwise movement" or the arm 31. By 'this'arrangement when the pivot 36 is arranged onthe right of a line thro'ugh the pivots 32 and 39 the arm 31 will act' rge the clamping plate 44 pivoted thereto, in a direction towards the substance being clamped.

In Fig. 5' I have shown a" modification of the invention illustrated in Fig.4 in which tension spring is used to actuate the armcarrying'the clamping plate instead of usinga compression spring as used in the modificationshown in- Fig. 4. In this form of the device-the feed plate 34 carries a bracket 33' and has anarm 31' pivoted thereto at 32, the'arm 31 having" an extension 35'. The spring 41" has'the opposite ends there'- of extending through openings 45 and 46 in the extension'35" and extension 47 on the bracket'33'. The spring 41 is a tension spring and as before whenthe center line of the spring lies'to the right of the line through thecenters 32" and 46 the arm 31' is urged in a clockwise direction about its pivot, whereas whenthe said center line is arranged to the left of the line through the centers 32' and 46, the arm 31 is urged in a counter-clockwise direction about its pivot and into clamping engagement with the substance,- the same as with the modification shown in Fig. 4. A stop 42' on the arm 31' is adapted to limitthe clockwise movement'of the arm 31 by its en'- gagement with the pin 43' on the bracket 33-. The arm 31 is adapted to engage the stop 43 as it moves in a counter-clockwise direction to limit the movement of this arm in this direction;

Obviously those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains may make various changes in the details and arrangementof parts illustrated in the drawing and described in the specification without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims hereto appended. I therefore do 'not wish to-be limited to the precise construction herein disclosed.

Having thus' fully described several embodiments of my invention what I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United-States is': I i

1. A clamping and supporting means for she-- ing machines comprising a table having-one thereof arranged adjacent the cutting the slicing knits ofsai'd slicing machine. feed plate adapted to slide on said table in a-direction ioo towards and from said cuttingplane, a clamping member pivoted to said feed plate for clamping a substance firmly thereon, and a second clamping means having the operative substance engaging portion thereof arranged adjacent that'end of the tablewhich is adjacentto said cutting plane for securely holding the substance against lateral shifting movement on said table in opposite direction transversely to the direction of feeding movement, said last mentioned clamping means being constructed so as to permit sliding movement of said substance relative thereto toward and from the cutting plane of said knife.

2. A substance support and clamping means for slicing machine comprising a support having one edge thereof arrangedadjacent the cutting plane of the slicing knife of said slicing machine, an arm pivoted to said support adjacent one edge thereof and at-a'point remote from saidcutting plane, a clamping plate pivotally mounted on said arm, an abutment arranged along the opposite edge of said support, a feed table slidably mounted on said support, means for moving said feed table along said support, a second arm pivoted to said feed table, a clamping plate carried thereby, each of said clamping plates being adapted to hold the substance being sliced, said second clamping plate being adapted to move in a path which intersects said second clamping plate, said second clamping plate being arranged to engage the outer surface of said first clamping plate to cause said second clamping plate to ride over said first clamping plate and so that the substance is clamped by means of a combined clamping effect of said clamping plates at substantially the same place along said substance.

3. A substance supporting and clamping means for slicing machine comprising a support having one edge thereof arranged adjacent the cutting plane of'the slicing knife of said slicing machine, an arm pivoted to said support adjacent one edge thereof and at a point remote from said cutting plane, a clamping plate pivotally mounted on said arm, an abutment arranged along the opposite edge of said support, a feedtable slidably mounted on said support, means for moving said feed table along said support, a second arm pivoted to said feed table, a clamping plate carried thereby, each of saidclampingplates being adapted to hold the substance being sliced,s'aid second clamping plate being adapted to move in a path which intersects said second clamping plate, said second clamping plate being arranged to engage the outersurface of said first clamping plate to cause said second clamping plate to ride over said first clamping plate and so that the substance is clamped by means of a combined clamping effect of said clamping plates at substantially the same place along said substance,

said second clamping plate'having the edge thereof adjacent said first clamping plate curved away from the substance being sliced to insure that the second clamping plate will'ride 'over said first mentioned clamping plate.

4. A substance supporting and clamping means comprising a carriage, a feed plate mounted for sliding movement on said carriage, a clamping means for clamping the substance on said feed plate against lateral shifting movement thereon, a second clamping means mounted for movement transversely to the movement of said feed plate and at a substantial angle toa plane perpendicular to the supporting surfaceof said carriage in the direction of feed of said feed plate, having means for exerting a substantial clamping effect on the substance against lateral shifting movement of the substance on said carriage, one of said clamping means being adapted to ride over the outer surface of the other of said ciamping means when the second of said clamping means is moved into engagement with the first of said clamping means thereby causing the both of said clamping means to exert their clamping effect on one portion of said substance being sliced.

5. Clamping apparatus for holding a substance While the same is being sliced comprising an under table, a member mounted adjustably on said under table and adapted to clamp the substance near the end of said substance from which slices are to be out, a substance holder movably mounted on said under table, a member adjustably mounted on said substance holder for clamping the substance at a point normally away from said firstrmember and remote from that end of the substance from which the slices are to be cut, and an upwardly extending abutment on the under tableof the slicing machine toward which both clamping members are moved to exert their respective clamping pressures and against which the substance is held by both of said clamping members,'said abutment being to one side of the path of movement of said substance.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5 in which the clamping member on the substance holder is arranged to move against the clamping member on the under table to lift the latter member out of its normal operative engagement with the substance while maintaining the clamping pressure thereof on the material through the intermediacyof said clamping member on said under table.

7. In a slicing machine, the combination with a slicing knife, of an under table for supporting a substance while the same is sliced by said knife and having a portion thereof adjacent the cutting plane of said knife, a member for clamping the substance on said under table at a point adjac'ent'the cutting-plane of said knife against any substantial lateral shifting movement, a feed table mounted on said under table movable toward the cutting plane of said knife and adapted to support a portion of the substance being sliced,

a member mounted adjustably on said substance Ithe'combination with a main support, an auxiliary support movable relatively to said main support for feeding a substance along said main support, clamping means pivotally mounted on said auxiliary support, an abutment extending up- Wardly from said auxiliary support, said clamping ,means urging said substance against said abutment and said auxiliary support simultaneously, an abutment on said main support, a clamping means pivotally mounted on said main support and having an operative engaging surface thereofiengaging the substance at a point op posite to the portion engaged by said abutment so that said second clamping meansurges the substance against the abutment on said main support, springs for urging both of said clamping means into operative engagement with the substance, and means for automatically locking each of said clamping means out of operative position. Y

9. In a substance support for slicing machines, the combination with a main support, an auxiliary support movable relatively to said main support for feeding a substance along saidmain support, clamping means pivotally mounted 'on'said auxiliary support, an abutment extending upwardly from said auxiliary support, said clamping means urging said substance against said abutment and said auxiliary support simultaneously, an abutment on said main support, a clamping means pivotally mountedon. said main support and having an operative engaging surface thereof engaging. the substance at a point opposite to the portion engaged by said abutment so that said second clamping means urges the substance against the abutment on said main support, springs forv urgingib'oth of said clamping means into operative engagement with the substance, and means for automatically locking each of said clamping means out of operative position, the locking means for locking the said first clamp,- ing means out of operative engagement comprise ing a spring adapted to occupy positions on opposite sides of the pivot forv said first clamping means, when said clamping means is in operative and inoperative positions respectively and the locking means for said second-mentioned clamping means comprising a member having a detent thereon for automatically restraining themove- .ment of said clamping means in a directiontoward the substance when said last mentioned clamping means is moved apredetermined distance toward inoperative position.

10. A device as claimed in claim 8 in. which one of saidcla-mping means rides over the other a of said clamping means after a. predetermined feeding movement of said auxiliary support relative to said main support so that there is a com bined clamping effect on said substance'at substantially the same point in the direction of the feeding movement thereof. x

11. A substance supporting and holding means for slicing machines comprising a substance support having one end thereof arranged adjacent clamping means on said feed tablefor' clamping a substance against said feed table, and means for holding said second clamping member in an inoperative position.

12. A substance supporting and holding means for slicing machines comprising a substance support having'one end thereof arranged adjacent the cutting plane of the slicing knife of said slicing machine, a clamping member-pivotedto said support along the one side thereof and remote from said cutting plane forpivotal movenient substantially parallel to the supporting surface of said support, an upwardly extending abutment on said support to one side of the path of movement of the substance to be sliced, means for urging said clamping member about its pivot in a directiontowards said abutment, means for holdingsaid clamping member in an inoperative position, afeed table on-said substance support, second clamping member on said feed table for clamping a substance against said feed table, and means for holding said second clamping member in an inoperative position, said last mentioned means comprising a spring which normally moves said second clamping member away from the supporting surface of said feed table when said second clamping member is in inoperative position-and an abutment against which said second mentioned clamping means is moved by said spring when said clamping means is at said inoperative; position,

-; 13. A substance supporting and holding means for slicing machines comprising a base member, a feed plate movable along said base member, an abutment extendingupwardly along that side of said base member which is last presented to said knife during the slicing stroke, a pivoted clamping plate mounted; on said feed plate and adapted. to. engage the substance to be sliced when thesubstance is placed onsaid feed plate, anda second pivoted clamping plate mounted on said base and movable in a direction toward and from saidrabutmentto hold the substance to be slicedsecurely onsaid base member against shifting movement while the slices are being severed from; the substance.

-14. A substance supporting and holding-means forslicingmachines comprising a substance support having one end thereof arranged adjacent the cutting plane of the slicing knife of said slicing machine; a clamping member pivoted to said support along one side thereof and remote from said cutting plane, the clamping member extending into close proximity with said cutting plane and beingpivoted tomove in a plane substantially parallel with the supporting surface of saidsubstance support, an upwardly extending abutment on said support to one side of the path of movement of the substance, means for urging said clamping member about its pivot in a directiontoward said abutment, means for holding said clamping member in an inoperative position, a-feed table on said substancesupport, asecond clamping member-on said feed table for clamping the substance against said feed table, meansfor holding said second clamping member in an inoperative position, said last mentioned means comprising a spring which normally moves said clamping member away from the supporting surface ofsaid feed table after the, clamp has been manually moved to an in,- operative position; and an abutment against which said second mentioned clamping means is moved by said spring when the clamp is at said inoperativeposition. I 3 L 15; A substance supporting holding means for slicing machines comprising acbase member, a feed plate movable along saidbase member, an

upstanding'flange on'saidfeed plate extending substantially in the direction of movement thereof, an abutment extending upwardly from said base member and substantially parallel to the pathof movement of said feed plate, a clamping member mounted'for movement in a direction-toward saidflange'for holding the substance against said flange 'on' said feed plate, and a clamping member mounted for movement in a direction 'toward' said flange and having the operative surface thereof substantially adjacent that edge of the base member which is adapted to lie closest to the knife during .a slicing operation portion thereof arranged adjacent that end of the table which is adjacent to said cutting plane for securely holding the substance against lateral shifting movement on said table in opposite direction transversely to the direction of feeding movement, said last mentioned clamping means being constructed so as to permit sliding movement of said substance relative thereto toward and from the cutting plane of said knife.

WILHELMUS ADRIANUS VAN BERKEL. 

